Congress is now considering a bill (see FOX News link below) which would give President Obama (or any future president) the authority to take “emergency control of the internet.” The legislation’s language originally would have given Obama the power to “order the limitation or shutdown of Internet traffic.” This language reportedly has been removed from the bill, but such language can easily be re-inserted later in a final form of the bill.
This bill has both a benign and potentially malignant side to it. On the benign side, a “cyber 911” attack which attempted to shut down US government functions, national security programs and civilian infrastructure could devastate the nation unless someone has the power to “pull the plug” on a spreading attack. Given the cyber-attacks that Russia already has launched in the past and China’s relentless cyber-attacks on critical US computer systems (documented in many media reports), such an attack is entirely possible. Indeed, a “terrorist cyberattack” could be launched against the USA which is actually perpetrated by Russia and China but routed through third parties to cover their involvement.
However, this bill could have a very dark side. President Obama is a very leftist President (many now say “socialist”) who could use such power to try and selectively silence dissenting conservative opposition to his policies. Could he also be empowered to selectively silence Christian Evangelicals and conservative Jewish sites which oppose his anti-biblical agendas? His administration could use the “interstate commerce clause” of the US Constitution to argue that internet communications are “interstate commerce” and therefore subject to selective federal regulations. Any such effort would obviously do great violence to the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution.
Opponents of this measure have noted that “90%” of the internet is controlled privately so any such bill would even further expand federal control over more aspects of the American economy and society. Also, any effort to “shut down” the Internet could also shut down America’s electric grids as many of them are controlled electronically via internet connections.
This kind of authority would be very useful in the hands of whoever becomes the prophesied “beast” power of the book of Revelation. Revelation 13:1-7 prophesy the beast will have “power…over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations,” but its rule will be limited to just “42 months.” Revelation 13:16-18 prophesy the beast system will control global monetary and economic activity. If the beast is going to control global economic/monetary affairs, you can be sure it will also control global communications and internet traffic as well. The beast will persecute Christians (Revelation 13:7), so true Christians will surely not be allowed access to the Internet when this prophetic time is reached. [If you want to preserve items now posted on the Internet, you better make hard-copies now as no one knows how soon this prophecy will come to pass.] Amos 8:9-12 contains a prophecy which will come to pass when all Internet traffic and communications is controlled/censored by the beast power. Amos 8:9 gives this prophecy a latter-day time context in its language about being fulfilled “in that day” (a prophetic reference to the “Day of the Lord”). Verse 11 foretells that the time will come in the latter days when there will be a famine…of hearing the word of the Lord” because it will be unavailable anywhere “from sea to sea.” Since the USA has long been known as the “land from sea to shining sea,” it makes one wonder if the USA could be indirectly referenced in this prophecy.
The book of Amos is addressed to “Israel” (Amos 1:1), which means the modern descendants of the ten tribes of Israel. The biblical name “Israel” was specifically placed on the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:14-16) who were to become a prophesied “nation and company of nations” with “brother” cultures in the latter days (Genesis 48:19-49:1). My books and writings have identified the USA and the British commonwealth of nations as the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, respectively, in the modern world. Interestingly, the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can all be geographically described as nations stretching “from sea to sea.” Therefore, Amos’ prophecy to “Israel” in the latter days fits all the modern Anglo-Saxon nations.
However, when the beast power shuts down access for true Christians (I say “true Christians” because there will be plenty of “beast-approved” phony varieties of Christianity which will still have access to the Internet and all communications), God will not be silenced. That is likely the time when God will send his Two Witnesses who will have divinely-delegated powers far greater than all human or earthly powers. They will be able to plague the earth’s leaders and nations with plagues “as often as they will” during their three and 1/2 year ministry. God’s true followers may be able to again access the airwaves and Internet when the Two Witnesses arrive on the scene. They will be able to give directives to the beast and his followers to either allow God’s people access to the Internet and airwaves or suffer immense plagues as a result. Revelation 11:6 prophesies the Two Witnesses will be able to “turn waters to blood” and let loose all kinds of plagues in the name of God. I think the plagues described in Revelation 16:1-10 are another reference to the ones which will be poured out on the beast and his kingdom by the Two Witnesses. Revelation 11:3-4 describe waters being turned to blood (exactly what Rev. 11:6 says the Two Witnesses will do), and some plagues will be poured out on the very “seat of the beast” (the beast ruler himself and all his administrators). These plagues will cause the beast’s kingdom to be “full of darkness” and harsh enough to cause the beast and his followers to “gnaw their tongues for pain.” Do not envy the ones who will be the beast, the false prophet and their associated officials. Their 42 month reign may become a very, very miserable time for them due to the ministry of the Two Witnesses, who will wield power for 1260 days (Revelation 11:3), which equals 42 months of 30 days each.
Christians who emphasize undiluted “doom and gloom” scenarios have forgotten God’s prophecy about the unprecedented power the Two Witnesses will be given in the latter days. For an extended period of time, they will serve as Divine Protectors of the people of God and they will be an utter nemesis to the power and agenda of the beast system. The ministry of the Two Witnesses will alter many people’s perceptions of what is going to happen in the latter days before Jesus Christ/Yahshua returns. For an in-depth discussion of the Two Witnesses, please read my article on them available at the articles link at this website!
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/01/unknowable-emergencies-drive-cybersecurity-planners-wargame-responses/?test=latestnews
